Manila: Typhoon Krosa exited northeastern Philippines as quickly as it had arrived but not without leaving substantial damage and disruptions, officials said.
Krosa, locally referred to as typhoon “Vinta” intensified into the category of a typhoon as it brought in 130km/h winds on Thursday but by Friday morning the weather disturbance had already exited the country as it made its way out of the Philippines area of responsibility at a speed of 26km/h.
Krosa’s powerful winds and 5-15mm of rains precipitation per hour had uprooted trees, toppled power lines and damaged houses in the provinces of Cagayan, Apayao and Ilocos Norte.
Electrical power and telecommunications were down for more than a day but by Saturday morning, services were restored in most of the affected areas allowing disaster management authorities to attend to the needs of the affected residents.
According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), a total 24,123 families or 104,829 residents were affected by the typhoon. Warning signal No 3 had been observed in the provinces of Cagayan, Apayao, Ilocos Norte as well as the Calayan and Babuyan Island groups.
Officials in Cagayan were quoted as saying in radio reports that due to the damage sustained by the province they were mulling the possibility of declaring it under a state of calamity.
Ofelia Parallag, information officer of Cagayan said they have put in a request to the provincial board that a calamity declaration be issued for their province to facilitate the expeditious release of rehabilitation funds.
Cagayan is located close to the eastern seaboard in the Pacific and suffers substantial damage whenever storms hit as it is situated near the coast.
According to the NDRRMC, one person, 30-year-old Loridel Baldos of San Juan town in Abra province had been declared missing from the calamity.
Some 14,911 houses in Ilocos Norte, Cagayan and Apayao were damaged.
Krosa is the 22nd serious weather disturbance to hit the country this year.
“Concerned government agencies have already mobilised their personnel for clearing operations on roads affected by typhoon Krosa,” Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said on Saturday.
Valte said the Department of Public Works and Highways, Armed Forces of the Philippines and the local government units have deployed their personnel to clear debris on the roads in Ilocos Norte.
She said the government, through various concerned agencies, have already pre-positioned all available resources in terms of manpower response teams, equipment, rescue assets, and relief goods.
